Anthurium andreanum 
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Anthurium plant, botanically known as Anthurium andreanum, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98VR 172xe2x80x99.
The new Anthurium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Schipluiden, The Netherlands. The objective of the program is to create and develop new compact, freely clumping and freely flowering Anthurium cultivars with strong roots, dark green leaves, attractive spathe color, and good inflorescence longevity.
The new Anthurium originated from a cross by the Inventor in November, 1997 of the Anthurium andreanum cultivar Orange Love, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,117, as the female, or seed, parent with the Anthurium andreanum selection No. 97-15, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar VR 172 was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Schipluiden, The Netherlands in 2000.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by meristem culture in a laboratory in Belgium has shown that the unique features of this new Anthurium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.
The new Anthurium has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of the cultivar VR 172. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98VR 172xe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.
2. Freely clumping growth habit.
3. Durable, small, dark green leaves.
4. Red-colored spathes with light red-colored spadices that are positioned above and beyond the foliage on strong and erect scapes.
5. Freely flowering habit.
6. Good inflorescence longevity.
Plants of the new Anthurium can be compared to plants of the female parent, the cultivar Orange Love. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Schipluiden, The Netherlands, plants of the new Anthurium differed from plants of the cultivar Orange Love in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Anthurium had slightly smaller and more durable leaves than plants of the cultivar Orange Love.
2. Plants of the new Anthurium had larger and more durable spathes than plants of the cultivar Orange Love.
Plants of the new Anthurium can be compared to plants of the male parent, the selection 97-15. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Schipluiden, The Netherlands, plants of the new Anthurium differed from plants of the selection 97-15 in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Anthurium were more compact than plants of the selection 97-15.
2. Plants of the new Anthurium had smaller leaves and spathes than plants of the selection 97-15.
3. Plants of the new Anthurium had red-colored spathes whereas plants of the selection 97-15 had white-colored spathes.
Plants of the new Anthurium can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Baby Red, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,468. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Schipluiden, The Netherlands, plants of the new Anthurium differed from plants of the cultivar Baby Red in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Anthurium had slightly larger leaves than plants of the cultivar Baby Red.
2. Plants of the new Anthurium had larger spathes than plants of the cultivar Baby Red.
3. Plants of the new Anthurium and the cultivar Baby Red differed in spathe color.